'I'm A Different Player': Djokovic Fires Warning To Alcaraz Ahead Of Olympic Final
ATP
Carlos Alcaraz boldly claimed after his Olympics semi-final that he would win the gold medal, but Novak Djokovic has some other ideas, and he's warned the Spaniard ahead of their duel on Sunday.
Sunday, August 4th, will mark the men's singles final at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and it will be the seventh time Djokovic will take on his young rival Alcaraz. So far, the six previous matches haven't yielded a clear advantage for either player because the two have won three matches each.
Their most recent meeting, however, is still fresh in everybody's memory, including the players. A few weeks ago, Alcaraz absolutely dominated the Serbian in the 2024 Wimbledon Championships final, leaving many fans bewildered as to whether Djokovic will ever be able to beat him again.
As clear as an overreaction that might be, it's a valid question because the 21-year-old Spaniard doesn't seem to be slowing down, and his confidence isn't waning either.
Djokovic has looked good in Paris so far, but very few would say he looked better than Alcaraz. It is difficult to really compare, but it's clear that the four-time major champion is supremely confident.
He said after the semi-final match that he would win the gold medal, which shows how confident he is in his ability to beat Djokovic yet again.
The Serbian recognizes that as well, which is why he told the media that Alcaraz is clearly the favorite on Sunday. His run in recent weeks clearly shows that he's above everybody else.
"I don’t consider myself a favourite on Sunday because Alcaraz has proven [he is] the best player in the world at the moment. He won Roland Garros, he won Wimbledon, beat me in the finals quite comfortable there, reached the finals [here] without dropping a set. I mean I did too but I think the way he is playing, he’s definitely a favourite."- Djokovic on Alcaraz being the favourite
Almost nobody would disagree with Djokovic in the way he presented that, and yet he had something to say. The Serbian openly admitted that he is not the same player he was in Wimbledon, as he's moving better and striking the ball better.
He feels confident about his chances heading into the final, and that's a fascinating admission. It's a warning to Alcaraz not to underestimate him, but the ultimate test will be the match.
"But it’s Olympics, it’s really anybody’s game I think. We haven’t faced each other on clay in a while, I think the only time we played here was last year’s semi-final of Roland Garros."- Djokovic shows high confidence in his abilities
"I feel like I’m a different player than I was in Wimbledon, the way I move, the way I’m striking the ball. Not to take anything away from his win in Wimbledon finals, he was dominating and deservedly a winner, but I feel more confident about myself and my chances in the finals."
This bodes well for all tennis fans because it telegraphs a superb matchup that might end up being iconic—it already is, regardless of how it plays out.
